Meet Chicago's Newest Hero: A 36-Year-Old Accountant Who Made 7 Saves in His Surprise NHL Debut

Scott Foster, who works as a CPA by day, was called on to act as the Blackhawks’s emergency backup goalie in the team’s Thursday game against the Winnipeg Jets after their starting goalie, Anton Forsberg, had to bow out during warmups — and backup goalie Collin Delia had to step aside mid-game, with 14 minutes still left to go.

And in those 14 minutes, Foster made a whooping seven saves, leading to an eventual victory against their opponents, 6-2.

Just a few hours before his NHL debut at Chicago’s United Center, Foster, who is based in Oak Park, Illinois, had been sitting at his desk at his day job. The substitute goalie played hockey for Western Michigan University, and since then in recreational hockey leagues.

And though he may have been on-call as an emergency backup goalie, it’s extremely rare that NHL teams ever actually put these backup players on the ice. According to NHL.com, it’s only happened once before, in 2016 with an emergency backup for the Carolina Hurricanes. (Though oftentimes, the emergency goalies do sit in the stands at games, just in case.)

Foster told NHL.com that he when he was called upon to play, he “blacked out,” but didn’t feel too much pressure — after all, his actual career wasn’t riding on this performance.

“You know, it’s funny, you’d think there’d be a lot of pressure, but really, tomorrow I’m going to wake up, I’m going to button up my shirt and I’m going to go back to my day job,” Foster said. “So what pressure is there for me?”

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Though he may not have another moment on the ice again, Foster shined during those 14 minutes, making seven saves, including one against Dustin Byfuglien, a star defenseman for the Jets.

Tonight’s belt winner… who else?

Mr. Scott Foster! #WhatsYourGoal pic.twitter.com/XAUnOhNrHP

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 30, 2018

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For his stellar NHL debut, Foster was given the Blackhawks team belt following the game — and had the crowd cheering his name as the game ended.

“Who would have thought?” he said of his experience on NHL ice. ” You just keep grinding away in men’s league and eventually you get your shot. I’m gonna remember this one for a long, long time.”